BENEDICTINE ORDER CELEBRATES ITS FOUNDER, THE PATRON OF EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 1999 (VIS) - At midday today in Les Combes, after praying the angelus, the Pope recalled that today is the feast of St. Benedict, "patriarch of western monasticism and patron saint of Europe. I extend a warm greeting to all monks and nuns of the Benedictine Order, recalling that it is precisely today that celebrations begin to mark the 1,500 years since St. Benedict founded his first monastery at Subiaco."

Thereafter, addressing the French-speaking faithful in their own language, the Holy Father said: "In this Alpine valley I do not forget the people who, in France and Italy, have died in the mountains, especially the victims of last winter's avalanches. I also commend to the Lord those who died in the Mont Blanc tunnel accident and I share in the pain of their families."

ANG;ST BENEDICT; VICTIMS;...;LES COMBES;VIS;19990712;Word: 150;